by Maia Dylan
“Shut the fuck up!” the voice snapped down the phone line, showing emotion and inflection in is tone for the first time. “You need to pull your shit together, you hear me? You have a woman walking up behind you and I don’t want to have to shoot her, so don’t fucking make me.”
Angel quickly put the phone down on the bench, wiped her eyes, and prayed for calm. Jesus, if anyone got killed or hurt because of her, she wouldn’t survive it.
“I am a goddess of love and all things that lead to happiness and matings! I got a hold of Grant and told him I thought I saw someone from the FBI’s most wanted web page. He’ll be here in minutes!” Faith clapped her hands together under her chin, obviously very pleased with herself.
Angel grinned at her and hoped she was a better actor than she thought. “How in the hell did you sell that?” she asked as her heart pounded in her chest. If Grant was on his way, then she needed to be gone before he got here. Jesus, if the bastard on the phone saw a member of the local sheriff’s department walk in then he’d probably shoot first and not ask any questions ever.
“Because not only am I the goddess of love and all things that lead to happiness and matings, I am an actress who can give amazing performances worthy of an Oscar! But the only problem I have now is that the woman has disappeared! One minute I was following her discreetly down one of the aisles in the back and when I turned the corner she was gone!” Faith shook her head, then frowned slightly tilting her head at Angel. “Is everything okay, Angel? You are looking a little flushed?”
Oh, shit!
“God yes, everything is fine! I’m a mated and claimed woman, living with two men who love me and have bodies a woman would walk over hot coals for!” Angel sent a prayer to every deity she knew that this would work. “Either one of them could be a quarterback they are so fit and healthy. And they love me.”
Faith’s gaze softened and she reached out a hand and touched Angel’s arm. “They do love you, sweets, it’s as obvious as the nose on your face.” Angel felt the thin thread of hope that she would survive this break and drift away.
“I know, and I love them, Faith. More than life itself I love them. And I know that if anything ever happened to me that they would look after my Mateo for me, which means absolutely everything.” It was all Angel could do not to sob as she spoke and keep the tears from falling. Inside her heart was breaking.
“That they would.” Faith gave her a funny look, but nodded and leaned over to give her a hug. Angel closed her eyes at the feeling, guessing that this would be the last time someone would show her kindness. She didn’t know who the crazy son of a bitch was that was making her do this, but she could guess that whatever he had planned it was not going to end well for her.
“Well, I had better get moving!” Angel said and cringed at the high-pitched tone to her voice. “I need to get these towels out to the laundry and finish up so I can get upstairs to my boys.” Faith said something, but Angel couldn’t hear her over the blood pounding in her own ears.
Angel gathered up the towels and moved out the back entrance of the café. With every step she took, her heart bled a little more. As soon as she was outside, she placed the clean towels neatly on the rail that ran around the porch, and as she walked down the stairs she let the tears she had been holding back since she picked up that damn phone, fall freely. By the time she entered the forest, she was sobbing feely.
“Well.” Angel gasped in surprise at the voice behind her, and then cried out at the sharp sting of pain in the side of her neck. “I had you pegged as someone who would save their own skin! I guess I was wrong.” Angel struggled as the man drew her against him. Whatever he had given her was fast acting and she could feel herself going under fast.
As if from a distance she heard him say, “First time for everything I guess.” Then as darkness claimed her, she felt the world tilt as he lifted her over his shoulder then nothing.
* * * *
Noah grinned at Mateo as he lay on his blanket on the floor, currently sucking on his foot. The more time he spent with the little boy the more besotted he became. He was the spitting image of his mamma and had the sweetest temperament. Well, that was until he got hungry then he became a fairly loud and persistent little potential leopard shifter.
His eyes fell on the wolf T-shirt he had brought for him. He knew that at some point in this little boy’s life, he and Chris were going to have to sit him down for a conversation about shifters, and Noah had to admit he was a little apprehensive about it.
Of course, it may be a moot subject if Mateo turned out to be a shifter like his father. The thought of him and Chris having an active role in rearing a leopard cub was a scary concept. Thank God his pack mates AJ and Sam were mated to a mountain lion shifter! Aunty Cassadee would be playing quite a role in their life if that turned out to be the case.
“Angel!” Noah frowned when he heard Faith call out as she ran up the stairs to the apartment. “She left! Can you believe it? And Grant walked in about two minutes ago.” Noah watched as Faith came skidding into the room. “Hey, Noah! How are you? I didn’t know you’d be up here.” Her wide-eyed innocent look didn’t fool him. He had the feeling that his alpha’s mate was up to her matchmaking again. He almost felt sorry for Kyle and Grant Snow.
“Faith,” Noah said with a grin. “So, you thought you might have found the fated mate for Kyle and Grant, huh?”
“What, no! I, um…hmph.” Faith stomped over and sat beside him on the couch. “Don’t tell Ty, but yeah I think I did!” She turned toward him and her green eyes twinkled with excitement. “She’s so beautiful! And has this happy, strong aura that I know will suit Kyle and Grant. I just need to get the three of them into a room together.”
Her eyes took on a calculating look as she looked at him and Noah suddenly knew what the rabbits he stalked in his wolf form felt like. “Oh, hell no!” Noah shook his head and stood up to cross the room to get away from her. “I want nothing to do with your cockamamie mating schemes. No way! Grant would have my ass in a sling in seconds if I played any part in this. Have you seen the size of that bastard?”
“Noah! Come on!” Faith pleaded as she pressed her clasped hands under her chin. “I’m begging you! Grant thinks I’ve gone off the deep end now that I had to try and convince him that I thought Mrs. Granger was wanted by the FBI for grand theft auto.”
“What? Mrs. Granger from the library?” Noah asked incredulously and Faith nodded with a grimace. “Jesus, she’s like a hundred and twenty years old! Why the hell would you try to convince Gant that—nope! Don’t tell me! I don’t care. This is not something I want or need to know. Just go on and talk with Angel, she might be able to make sense out of what in the hell you are talking about.”
“Fine!” Faith slumped back into the couch with a pout, arms folded cross her chest, and Noah had to fight off a grin. She really was a great actress, if somewhat prone to overacting. “Angel! Come out here and help me convince your mate to step in and take one for the team.”
“Faith, she’s down in the café. Why don’t you go down there and talk with her.” Noah shook his head at the antics of women. He would never understand them sometimes.
“Angel’s not in the café, I waited there for ten minutes and no sign of her. I thought for sure she’d be up here.” Faith frowned and Noah’s heart began to hammer. Just as he was about to tell Faith to watch Mateo and storm downstairs to find his mate, the phone rang. He flew across the room for the phone.
“Angel?” he rasped down the phone.
“I’d have to say I’m more like the devil.” Noah’s blood froze at the voice at the other end of the phone. A voice he hadn’t heard since the day Noah had killed him. Or at least he thought he had. “I have the redhead on the couch at your 5 o’clock in my sights. Get rid of her so we can talk.”
“Okay, sweetheart, just give me a second.” Noah kept his voice as calm as he could. He turned around and smiled at Faith, holding his hand over the receiver. “It’s Angel,
she’s with Chris and won’t be back for about an hour.”
“Oh!” Faith smiled back. “That’s a relief.” She stood up and stretched tall. Noah fought not to watch the red laser dot that never wavered from the spot directly over her heart. A perfect kill shot. “Tell her I’ll catch her later on. I’m gonna head downstairs and talk with Rowena. She should be back from her book buying trip by now.”
“Will do.” Noah stood still as Faith walked over to the stairs. He waited until she was all the way downstairs before he lifted the phone to his ear.
“Where is my mate?” Noah snarled down the phone. His wolf was so close to the surface and irate that someone dared to take their mate from them that his voice was garbled.
“Now, now, Gambit, is that anyway to speak to your superior?”
“Fuck you, Bear. Let me ask you again, and know that your answer will determine how much I will hurt you before I end you. Where. Is. My. Mate!” Noah could feel his wolf pressing against his skin. Skin that suddenly felt way too tight.
“Why, with me of course. I have taken her from you.” Bear’s words were a torment and Noah closed his eyes against the fear that welled within him. “I even found the perfect little den to take her. Now I took a contract to kill your mate before I ever even knew who she was mated to. Imagine my fucking delight when I realized the target I had agreed to end was mated to the man who had betrayed me, shot me, and left me for dead.”
“So is that it? You want your revenge on me?” Noah looked over at Mateo, who was looking up at him from the floor. His eyes were wide and filled with an emotion that looked a lot like concern to Noah, and he couldn’t break eye contact. “Then come at me, Bear. Make it about you and me and leave Angel out of this.” Noah inhaled when he saw Mateo’s eyes shimmered amber and Noah knew in that moment that he was no latent.
“No, I think I’ll just keep the delectable Angel and make you come to me.” Bear’s voice throbbed with anticipation, and Noah gripped the phone so hard he heard it crack.
“Bear, I swear to God, if you hurt her, I will bathe in your blood before I send you to be with the rest of your fucking team.” Noah started to shake with the effort of keeping his wolf from forcing him through the change, both of them wanting to hunt the fucker down and do exactly what they threatened.
“Don’t you fucking dare mention my team, you bastard! You fucking betrayed us! It will be you who is sent to face the men you betrayed!” Noah heard Bear’s rage in his voice. Obviously he was just as close to losing control as Noah was. Bear was latent, but he certainly moved and fought like a man possessing the skills and speed of a shifter. When he was pissed off, he was obviously a hard man to kill. “You were always the first card played, Gambit. Whether we were on the offensive or defensive, you were always sent in first because you’re like a fucking ghost. So, come get me, and come alone. I see anyone with you, and they’re dead first, and then I kill your mate. Find me before I get bored and have to think of…some way for your mate to entertain me.”
The click of the phone as Bear disconnected had Noah crushing the phone with his hand. Fuck! He wanted to throw back his head and roar with the rage that coursed through his body. He was thankful that he had shut himself off from Chris as soon as he had heard Bear’s voice. It was habit, but it would keep Chris safe at least, and if he couldn’t save Angel, then Chris would be there to protect Mateo.
Noah moved toward Mateo and plucked him into his arms. He sighed as he buried his nose in the baby’s neck and inhaled his scent. God, he was going to miss this little boy. He was going to do absolutely everything he had to do to get his mate back, but he was resigned to the fact that he was probably not going to get out of this alive.
Mateo whimpered and Noah felt his pudgy hand land against his cheek in a clumsy pat. He pulled back to stare into his eyes. Why had he never noticed that Mateo’s eyes shone with a maturity and strength that was well beyond his young age?
“It’s okay, little man.” Noah kissed Mateo’s cheek and carried him to his bassinet. “I’m gonna go get your mamma. Everything is going to be fine.” Mateo’s solemn little expression never changed, as if he knew and understood the gravity of the situation.
He placed Mateo in his bassinet and walked over to the stairs, pausing to push the remains of the phone into a kitchen drawer. Within minutes of asking Faith to watch Mateo under the pretense of him going to meet Chris and Angel, he was in his truck heading to his and Chris’s place. He had a plan and a place to start.
Bear had been in the forest at the north end of the property, probably holed up in a tree blind waiting for the opportunity to strike. He had to have been elevated to get a bead on Faith. Once he had his gear, he was going hunting, and he was going loaded for Bear.
Chapter 9
“I swear to god, she flinched. It’s either been me or Dane sitting in that goddamn chair for the past fucking three months watching her, and today she moved.” Chris could hear the frustration edged with excitement in Hunter’s voice and prayed that he was right.
Chris leaned over and placed the last electrode on Xanthe White’s temple, silently willing the young woman to wake up and praying that Hunter had been right. The ECG he was currently running would indicate if there had been any improvement and for the sake of the two Enforcers who appeared to have moved to Grey River to be near Xanthe he hoped that it did.
Xanthe had received a very significant head injury three months ago when Rowena Greyson’s past came crashing into town. She had fallen into a coma shortly after being thrown across the counter of her shop, Lotions and Potions, and into one of her large wooden display units. Her injuries had been severe enough to warrant being resuscitated on the scene, but Chris thought she would have made more inroads to recovery than she had.
At the electronic beeping noise of his computer, Chris looked down and blinked twice to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing.
“Well, how do you like that?” Chris said softly then turned to grin at the man who stood across the opposite side of the hospital bed. Hunter’s hair stood up on end which was obviously a byproduct of him dragging his hands through his hair repeatedly.
“What? What’s happened?” Hunter asked, the words coming quickly.
“Well, it appears—” Chris was interrupted by the door to Xanthe’s room being pushed open with such force the handle embedded into the drywall. Chris raised an eyebrow at the newcomer and had to bite back a laugh at the crazed look in the man’s eye.
Dane Smith was a huge man who must easily be around six foot seven. He had massive shoulders and arms, and Chris knew that anyone would think twice about tangling with the guy. When you added in his Enforcer partner, Hunter, who was only slightly shorter than Dane then Chris almost pitied the fuckers they hunted down.
“Sorry! Shit, I’ll fix that,” Dane muttered as he yanked the door out of the wall, drywall crumbling to the floor, and pushed it closed. He hurried over to stand by Hunter and Chris saw a look of such abject hunger and yearning on the man’s face as he stared at Xanthe lying still on the bed that it had Chris aching to see his Angel.
“As I was about to say before Wreck-it-Ralph here came crashing into the room,” Chris said wryly. “It appears that there has been an increase in brain activity since her last scheduled checkup eighteen hours ago.” Chris held up a hand as both men looked like they were about to ask a million questions to go along with the hope and joy he could see shining in their eyes.
“This tells me that she is closer to coming back to us than she was yesterday, which is great.” Chris looked between the two men, wanting to be as truthful as possible with them. “But it can’t tell me when, if ever, she will regain consciousness, or what state she will be in when or if she does.”
The two men looked at each other then back at Chris. “Yeah, Doc, we get that,” Hunter said, his voice quiet. “But it is more hope than we have had in the past three months so we are holding onto that with both hands.”
Chris narro
wed his gaze slightly, then giving in to the curiosity that had been plaguing him he asked, “Is she your mate? I thought lion shifters didn’t mate as triads?”
Dane barked a short, strange, and almost sad laugh. “Doc, the mating and unusual nature of the relationship between the three of us, is waaay beyond normal for lion shifters.” Dane shot a quick look at Hunter, who was staring intently at where his hand lay holding Xanthe’s on the top of the blankets.
Chris nodded like he understood that, but if truth be told, he wasn’t really sure what Dane was talking about. He hoped that it all worked out for the three of them though. They were all good people and as far as Chris and the rest of Grey River were concerned, they were pack.
“Chris, are Angel and Noah with you?” Ty’s voice came over their common pack link.
“Nope, they’re back at the bookstore.” Chris checked the clock on the wall. “Angel will be closing up the café I guess.”
“They aren’t over there. Faith is looking after Mateo. I’m heading over their now. She said something seemed a little off, and you know how damn good my mate is at knowing when things are not as they seem.” That didn’t sound good.
“Okay, I’ll meet you there,” Chris said then reached out along the mating bond for Angel. His anxiety level lifted when he encountered a solid black wall over the bond and couldn’t sense her beyond it. He knew that she had been practicing closing herself off so she could get some privacy, but this was beyond that. Right?
He reached out for Noah, but all he could get was a calm almost icy vibe coming from him which wasn’t anything new. Whatever Noah was doing, it was taking all his concentration to focus on it. Perhaps they were together and that was why he couldn’t get through to either of them.
During the time when Noah had left Grey River and closed himself off from Chris, he got that same icy vibe. Chris brought his full attention back into the hospital room and saw that the other two men had tensed and were watching him intently.